Newbys learning about van parks.

Les_Donz · Veteran Member

Newbys learning about van parks.

pauline · Guru

Been to quite a few van parks and seen plenty of 5th wheelers at a lot of them, by the way WELCOME AND HAVE FUN

Les_Donz · Veteran Member

thanks pauline... I had someone tell me he was turned away from a few parts, so started to wonder. Thanks for the welcome.

pauline · Guru

Even better if you had a fifth wheeler you would have solar and battery setup, I would imagine and then you don't have to worry about van parks, bush camping by a river is just great. You seem to meet so many more people that way.

AmandaJayne · Guru

Hi Les... I've only been here a short while meself but have found it to be an awesome site with awesome peoples :) I cant help you with ya question tho... we do mostly free camping ...

Cruising Granny · Guru

Hi and welcome Les Donz.
Caravan parks are as diverse as the vehicles people choose to travel in and with.
Many older parks don't have the space for big vehicles like big buses and 5th wheelers. It's an interesting industry, and it pays to check ahead to determine your most appropriate destination for a big rig.
If you're still shopping for your set up, do a lot of homework before you make your decision. You need to consider your needs, your driving capabilities, your personal mobility levels.
Then you will to decide if you want shower and toilet, the style of seating, eg cafe' or L shaped lounge/dining, rear kitchen, mid-kitchen, front kitchen, double bed or twin beds. The style of awning/annexe, washing machine, solar power supply or just a battery bank when not plugged into 240v. Will you be free camping or caravan parking?
Then it's the budget - how much you want to invest and how much you'll have to spend on this expedition.
You will find this forum very informative. Keep asking questions. Most of us have lots of experience to call on, which we like to share with fellow and pending nomads.

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Welcome to the forum - there is lots of collective wisdom here in addition to the alfoil hat brigade of which i am a proud member.

NeilandRaine · Guru

Probably the best place to look at caravan parks
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~badger04/

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Les_Donz

get a copy of Camps 6 http://www.campsaustraliawide.com/ it will tell you where a lot of big rig parks are and free site's.

I have heard the some CP's charge for two site for buses and 5th wheeler's, worth checking before you get to the site.

Les_Donz · Veteran Member

wow ... thanks for the great ideas. I bought a copy of Camps 6 yesterday. You're right it has heaps of info. Thanks Cruising Granny for all your advise. We had started out wanting a 4 wheel drive and 21ft van but now we are leaning more to the 5th wheeler because this will be our home for a very long time. We are planning on going to the Caravan Show in Brisbane next June. Les is doing lost of research on the rig and its my responsibility to do the techno stuff. I look forward to learning so much from you guys and hopefully one day meeting some of you. Donz

wendyv · Guru

If you are leaning towards a fifth wheeler, make sure you do your research very thoroughly. There do seem to be some ok ones made by reputable Australian companies, but be very very wary about imports. There have been many problems with ones imported from North America.
Google Caravanners Forum and use their search facility to browse past entries in relation to this issue.

johnq · Guru

My experience isn't anywhere as recent as those here, but just to make the general observation that there is an optimal size depending on how much you want to travel and where you want to go.

The longest van I had was 22' and that was in the days before shower and toilet took away space and added weight. However the point is that we were inevitably limited in where we could go while en route and the parks we could stay at. They might have the site for a longer van but just try getting one in. We tended to move less with the 22' than the next one down which was similarly a double axle.

I am in awe at the size and weight of many of the rigs on the road, but I wonder if some of them limit their owners more than they facilitate their travel and enjoyment. Great for independence subject to getting there.

I have plans for around a year from now which will probably be solo using a home as a base at least for the start, but even with past experience with vans and living in them it is not easy.

Cruising Granny is right, first be very practical about what you want to do and then consider the rigs that best fit.

justcruisin01 · Guru

I have heard that some small parks will not take the big rigs as they do not have the room for them.

Have seen big rigs that take up two sights just to fit in,things like a 40ft bus , a triaxle trailer with a runaround then they complain about having to pay for two. They made that choice of travell so you have to take what goes with it I guess. I thinks its a matter of working out where you want to be able to go with the rig.

Les_Donz · Veteran Member

We will keep all of your wonderful comments in mind guys. Thanks for the helpful comments.

Andrea · Senior Member

Hi, Donz, and welcome!

We've been travelling in our 5th wheeler since late 2008, but well remember the research stages before we sold our house to live on the road. We settled on the 5th wheeler because of its greater stability (compared with a caravan), and we chose one made in Brisbane (Southern Cross) for its suspension and more innovative layout. It also only requires a Mazda BT-50 as a tow motor. If you'd like to know more about our rig you can PM me for photos, etc.

As for caravan parks - at 7.7 m (25' 6") we've had no trouble and not even be charged extra, but we do check ahead, as well as using Camps 5 and Caravan Parks Australia Wide, as suggested above. We also free-camp (we're self-contained, with 3 solar panels and 200 L of water), and we now do house-sitting, mostly in semi-rural areas, which gives us free accommodation while we explore surrounding areas.

We reckon its a great lifestyle, and wouldn't have it any other way!

Les_Donz · Veteran Member

There are so many choices out there. I viewed a couple of Millard Vans on Saturday. They were about 21' but seemed a little wobbly and closed in to me. I am wondering if they didn't have the vans stabalised or maybe I was just feeling a little light headed at the time but I didn't get a good feeling inside them.
Donz

Andrea · Senior Member

If considering a caravan for long-term use -- and with all due respect to forum caravanners! -- I would certainly go for a dual axle unit, especially after hearing some WA truckies talking (somewhat disparagingly!) about 'wobble-boxes'! smile

Andrea

jimricho · Guru

Caravan parks in general are glad to get business and won't restrict the van size on what they like or don't like. However keep in mind that sites big enough to accommodate a large rig may be scarce in some parks so check ahead. I've seen parks go out of their way to accommodate a large rig as they value all business.

Cruising Granny · Guru

And these days they have to take wind-out sections into account. Some vans have and 5th wheelers have 3 wind out sections taking the rig from 8ft wide to 11ft wide, and it can get very squeazy between neighbouring vans.
So much stuff to think about! So little time. All the best with your plans.

Andrea · Senior Member

Cruising Granny wrote:
And these days they have to take wind-out sections into account. Some vans have and 5th wheelers have 3 wind out sections taking the rig from 8ft wide to 11ft wide, and it can get very squeazy between neighbouring vans.
So much stuff to think about! So little time. All the best with your plans.

Yes, CG - Another important choice we made was NOT to have slide-outs in our 'fiver', although our reason then was 'more weight and more to go wrong'. We'd heard several horror stories about leaking seals, etc.

We like inviting people to our home, and the first thing that everyone has said is 'Wow! You have so much room!' -- due mainly, I think, to our layout. So it is possible to have plenty of living space without slide-outs.

Andrea